New Spirit in Seoul

Once a low-slung outpost, the Hapjeong district is undergoing a property boom, with luxury high-rises, office towers and lifestyle amenities that attract both young families and Korean pop stars.

Feb. 28, 2013 1:16 p.m. ET

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Hapjeong, a neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea, has undergone a property boom in the last three years. One glittery symbol of Hapjeong's ascent is Mecenatpolis. Located in the middle of the district, the development completed last June is less an apartment complex than a city, with three 39-story luxury apartment buildings, one 32-story office tower, a park, an event auditorium, an art center, a shopping mall and diners. Shown here is Mecenatpolis.
Mecenatpolis…

According to Park Jong-su, an official at the project's developer, GS Engineering and Construction, more than 90% of the development's 617 residential units—which range from a roughly 1,750-square-foot three-bedroom, two-bath asking $1.47 million to a 3,500-square-foot four bedroom, four-bath asking $3.16 million—have been sold. Shown here is a living room in a model residential unit in Mecenatpolis.
SeongJoon Cho for The Wall Street Journal…

Lee Kang, a Mecenatpolis resident, says that it is the easy access to the shopping mall and restaurants that his grown kids like. Shown here are illuminated retail stores at night in the Mecenatpolis.
SeongJoon Cho for The Wall Street Journal…

Mecenatpolis' proximity to the Hongdae district is appealing to new residents in Hapjeong. Shown here is the exterior of a Japanese-style bar in the neighboring Hongdae district.
SeongJoon Cho for The Wall Street Journal…

Na Young-jin, a real-estate agent in Hapjeong, says, 'Because of Mecenatpolis, the property development wave has gained new momentum. The neighborhood has better infrastructure now. In the past, Hapjeong wasn't a destination but a neighborhood just to pass through. Now people have started gathering in the area.' Shown here is a view from Mecenatpolis.
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Shown here is a kitchen in a penthouse at Mecenatpolis. Mr. Park says that while buyers are mostly families with young children, some young celebrities including members of K-Pop group Big Bang have picked up a few units.
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Shown here is a living room of a penthouse at Mecenatpolis.
SeongJoon Cho for The Wall Street Journal…

Shown here is a bedroom of a model residential unit at Mecenatpolis.
SeongJoon Cho for The Wall Street Journal…

The complex's amenities also include an indoor golf driving range, free membership to the yacht club a short drive away and access to four guesthouses—each with a different theme—where residents can host parties or offer sleeping quarters for guests. Here, a resident plays golf at the gym.
SeongJoon Cho for The Wall Street Journal…

Shown here is the view from a park along the Han River in Seoul.
SeongJoon Cho for The Wall Street Journal…

One of the perks of Mecenatpolis is its proximity to the river and transport. Pictured here is a woman entering the Hapjeong subway station.
SeongJoon Cho for The Wall Street Journal…

Long considered an ordinary outpost, Hapjeong is now marked with new high-rises. International retailers like Uniqlo have arrived, as have numerous restaurants and coffee shops, expanding the commercial stretch from the neighboring hip Hongdae district. Here, people walk through the Hongdae district.
SeongJoon Cho for The Wall Street Journal…